Once Upon a Time Season 2 Premiere: Clues From the Shocking Opening Scene

The opening scene ofOnce Upon a TimeSeason 2 was a shocker. While we were filled with questions, some of the clues in our New York City mystery man’s apartment may provide some early answers. We took a closer look at everything from the Hatters sign to the old-fashioned collections lining the man’s bookshelves to see what we could find out.

New York state of mind. Our man (read our theories on who he is here) first emerges from Central Park, where he passes a carriage horse with a very prominent engraving on his muzzle. We hear the honking horns of Manhattan traffic, and then he’s at the 5th Avenue subway platform. First mystery: Why would anyone walk through the park after work (he’s wearing a three-piece suit and a tie), and then get on the subway home? He didn’t look like the jolly, out-for-a-stroll kind of guy to us. His apartment is a hole in the wall, accessible by a rickety old elevator, and appears to be a stuffy one-room studio.

Cleaner and Hatters sign. Looks like an old-school, neighborhood sign from the mid-century. Obviously, we think of The Mad Hatter (Sebastian Stan).

Wall hanging with a red hand. To the right of his door, there’s a drawing of a red hand with a symbol on the wrist. Monocles. To the left of the door, he has several monocles hanging on hooks.

Dreamcatcher. In Native American culture, a dreamcatcher symbolizes an attachment to the “first world,” or where they originally came from. Could this be a sign that our guy wants to always remember his roots in Fairytale Land?

Old clocks, radios, record player, cameras, and microphones. All of these old-fashioned collectors’ items date back to the middle of the 20th century. Our guy looks to be in his late 20s to mid-30s at the most, meaning he was born in the late 1970s or later. So they’re not items from his childhood. Could they be his father’s? (Hello, Baelfire theorists!)

Glass figurine. On his desk, there is a glass figurine of a woman who looks like she could have come from a fairy tale.

Books. Lots and lots of books, including three hard-bound ones on his desk. Is he a writer (maybe the writer of a certain book of fairy tales)?

Wall calendar. The calendar hanging to the left of his desk is French (“Juillet” for July), and the date appears to be July 13.

Slippers hanging on the wall. No, they’re not glass ones, and they don’t appear wearable either.

Rotary phone. The phone, combined with the pencil sharpener and old-timey postcard from Storybrooke all harken back to mid-century nostalgia as well. It’s almost as if this guy is stuck in another time period. Or, you know, stuck in another world entirely.

We would be remiss if we didn’t ask out loud, Who sent the postcard? The only people we know of who might have access to the outside world are Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle), August (Eion Bailey) (because he was able to come in), and possibly Regina. Who do you think sent it? Share your theories about all of the above in the comments with other fans!

Catch the next new episode of Once Upon a Time on Sunday, October 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT onABC.Molly Friedman is an editor at Wetpaint Entertainment. Follow her on Twitter@MollyFriedman.